Pallavi Khanna is a strong supporter of going outside her comfort zone to grow both personally and professionally. Today, Pallavi will talk about her passion for client-focused product management, the empowering opportunity for autonomy in her work, and why she ultimately made the switch from a traditional bank to join Galileo, a nimble fintech company.

So Pallavi, before we dive into the nitty gritty, tell us a few things about yourself so that our readers can learn more about who you are.

Pallavi: I am a big believer in living outside your comfort zone. I am always open to new opportunities in my personal and professional life and never set boundaries on what my role should be. In my personal life, I knit, but I have also gone skydiving. In my professional life, I have worked on three continents - Asia, Africa and North America. I also currently support our LATAM team.

You left a well-known bank to join Galileo. What prompted you to make the leap?

Pallavi: Galileo is growing at a tremendous rate and is branching out into new frontiers. The people who work at Galileo believe in a common vision of expanding the financial frontier by partnering with innovators, builders and businesses to create the future of money. The teams are nimble, open to change and are ready to roll up their sleeves to do what is needed to best support our clients. To me, this makes for a very refreshing experience. From my perspective and previous work experience, as companies grow, boundaries go up around what you can own in your role. But that’s not the case at Galileo - we have a lot of autonomy and are encouraged to ‘run after problems’ (one of our core values) to help the company work smarter.

That IS very refreshing to hear! What does a typical day look like for you as a Senior Product Manager?

Pallavi: It is different every day, which keeps it fresh for me. (Readers, this is a pretty standard mode of operation at Galileo. Take it from Levi, who’s been here for 15 years and is still learning something new every day.) Some days I am working closely with the engineering team on a client issue; others I am working on discovery of a new potential roadmap item. (Readers - here’s a great example of one of the innovative projects Pallavi and her team get to work on.) I may act as a SME on some calls and join others to learn how to solve a problem. I may directly talk to clients to help them with an issue or to get their feedback. Whatever I may be doing, I strongly believe that product managers are the voice of the customer; we empathize with them and work hard to create the best client experience.

How do you feel Galileo supports your career growth?

Pallavi: I think diversity is important for the success of any organization. Each member brings their learnings and experiences to enrich the “think tank” of the company. My thoughts and suggestions are always given consideration by colleagues and managers. I feel like I belong here, which is a compliment to how well SoFi and Galileo believe in its key value – embracing diversity. (Read more on our commitment to DE&I and fostering a welcoming workplace here).

What tips do you have for other people in product looking to have meaningful careers?

Pallavi: I think if you are open to new opportunities, they help you grow as a person. I feel fulfilled at work when I can use my skills to bring clarity to an ambiguous situation. While at work, I crave for knowledge. I believe that is a critical part of growth. I would say if you are excited about creating a better end user experience, if working with people makes you happy and if growth in knowledge and data-driven decisioning satisfies you, there is nothing that can stop your career from taking off.

Thank you so much, Pallavi, for sharing your experiences and advice to our readers! We are very excited to see the new products that Galileo launches in the future.

If you are interested in learning more about the amazing people behind Galileo Financial Technologies, check out our other employee spotlight blogs or apply today to become a part of Galileo Financial Technologies and SoFi Technologies!

The individual featured is a Galileo employee. Their personal experiences, obviously, do not take into account your own specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. Results will vary.